World Pond Skimming Championships return to Vail April 14

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VAIL --The World Pond Skimming Championships return to Vail Mountain's Golden Peak base area for the 11th year on April 14. Skimmers will gather in Vail to test their buoyancy on Lake Golden Peak for their chance to be crowned the 2013 World Pond Skimming Champion and take home one of the grand prizes - an Epic Pass for the 2013-'14 season.

The pond skimming competition is a long-standing closing day tradition on Vail Mountain and is a well-loved part of the lineup of entertainment at Spring Back to Vail, the annual festival to celebrate the conclusion of the skiing and snowboarding season.

The Pond Skimming Championships entail floatable - and many times sinkable - athletes who aren't afraid of launching off an on-snow jump across an icy-cold pond with the goal of making it to the other end on both feet. Judges will score each skimmer on distance, style, creativity and water resistance. Both the top male and the top female competitor will be crowned champion and both will receive an Epic Pass for next season.

Registration for this year's World Pond Skimming Championships is $75 and now open at www.vail.com/springback. The field is limited to 75 participants ages 14 and older on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration must be completed online prior to the event; no on-site registration is available.

The venue at Vail Mountain's Golden Peak opens at 1:30 p.m. with expos and giveaways from event sponsors. The competition gets underway at 3 p.m.

Following the crowning of the 2013 World Pond Skimming Champions, Spring Back to Vail festivities continue with a free concert by Jimmy Cliff with openers Eminence Ensemble at Solaris Plaza in Vail Village. The concert begins at 4 p.m.

For more information on the World Pond Skimming Championships, including rules and judging criteria, as well as the full Spring Back to Vail schedule visit www.vail.com/springback.